Jonas Vingegaard became the winner of the 109th Tour de France in 2022, beating defending champion Tadej Pogacar to become the first Danish winner of the event since Bjarne Riis in 1996.
Cycling fans are now counting down to the start of the 2023 Tour, which will begin in northern Spain.
Vingegaard sent out an ominous warning to his rivals by winning the Criterium du Dauphine by the biggest time margin in 20 years, but Pogacar has been training hard in the altitude of Spain's Sierra Nevada.
We also know this will be Mark Cavendish's final Tour. The 38-year-old plans to retire this year, meaning he will have one final chance to set an all-time record for stage wins at the event. Cavendish is tied on 34 with Eddy Merckx.
What do we know so far about the 2023 Tour de France? The Sporting News has the details on the gruelling test of endurance.
MORE: Who has won the most Tour de France titles?
When is the Tour de France 2023?
Starting on July 1, the 2023 edition of the Tour de France will be the 110th edition of the most high-profile event on the cycling calendar.
The 2023 Tour will begin in Bilbao, marking the second time it has taken place in the Basque Country.
The 1992 Tour also started in the region, and this time, the first stage will be made up of a loop around Bilbao.
The 2023 Tour de France is set to finish in Paris on July 23.
How long is the Tour de France 2023?
The total distance of the Tour de France 2023 is 3,404 kilometres (2,115 miles). The 2022 race covered 3,328km (2,068 miles), with only two rest days for riders along the way. That made it the shortest total distance of the past decade.
What is the longest stage of the Tour de France 2023?
The longest stage tour is the second stage, which also takes place in the Basque Country.
The section, between Vitoria-Gasteiz and San Sebastian, will span 209km (129.86 miles). The longest stage of the 2022 Tour covered just under 220km (140 miles).
Tour de France 2023 route and confirmed stages
| # | Date (local time) | Length | Stage | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 1 | 182 km (113.09 miles) | Bilbao (hilly) | - |
| 2 | July 2 | 209 km (129.86 miles) | Vitoria-Gasteiz to San Sebastian (hilly) | - |
| 3 | July 3 | 185km (114.95 miles) | Amorebieta-Etxano to Bayonne (flat) | - |
| 4 | July 4 | 182 km (113.09 miles) | Dax to Nogaro (flat) | - |
| 5 | July 5 | 165km (102.53 miles) | Pau to Laruns (mountain) | - |
| 6 | July 6 | 145km (90.1 miles) | Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque (mountain) | - |
| 7 | July 7 | 170km (105.63 miles) | Mont-de-Marsan to Bordeaux (flat) | - |
| 8 | July 8 | 201km (124.9 miles) | Libourne to Limoges (hilly) | - |
| 9 | July 9 | 184km (114.33 miles) | Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat to Puy de Dome (mountain) | - |
| — | July 10 | — | Rest | - |
| 10 | July 11 | 167km (103.77 miles) | Vulcania to Issoire (hilly) | - |
| 11 | July 12 | 180km (111.85 miles) | Clermont-ferrand to Moulins (flat) | - |
| 12 | July 13 | 169km (105.01 miles) | Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais (hillly) | - |
| 13 | July 14 | 138km (85.74 miles) | Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne to Grand Colombier (mountain) | - |
| 14 | July 15 | 152km (94.45 miles) | Annemasse to Morzine les Portes du Soleil (mountain) | - |
| 15 | July 16 | 180km (111.85 miles) | Les Gets les Portes du Soleil to Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc (mountain) | - |
| — | July 17 | — | Rest | - |
| 16 | July 18 | 22km (13.67 miles) | Passy to Combloux (individual time trial) | - |
| 17 | July 19 | 166km (103.15 miles) | Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc to Courchevel (mountain) | - |
| 18 | July 20 | 186km (115.58 miles) | Moutiers to Bourg-en-Bresse (hilly) | - |
| 19 | July 21 | 173km (107.5 miles) | Moans-en-Montagne to Poligny (flat) | - |
| 20 | July 22 | 133km (82.64 miles) | Belfort to Le Markstein-Fellering (mountain) | - |
| 21 | July 23 | 115km (71.46 miles) | Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris Champs-Elysees (flat) | - |
🤩 Here it is, the official route of the #TDF2023!
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) October 27, 2022
🤩 Voici le parcours officiel du #TDF2023 ! pic.twitter.com/QPwvs91Ar6
Tour de France 2023 confirmed teams and riders
The full list of teams and riders competing in the 2023 Tour de France will be updated here.
Tour de France 2023 teams
| Team | Country |
|---|---|
| AG2R Citroen Team | France |
| Alpecin Deceuninck | Belgium |
| Astana Qazaqstan Team | Kazakhstan |
| Bahrain Victorious | Bahrain |
| Bora-Hansgrohe | Germany |
| Cofidis | France |
| Ef Educations - Easypost | United States |
| Groupama - FDJ | France |
| Ineos Grenadiers | Great Britain |
| Intermarche - Circus - Wanty | Belgium |
| Israel-Premier Tech | Israel |
| Jayco AlUla | Australia |
| Jumbo-Visma | Netherlands |
| Lotto DSTNY | Belgium |
| Movistar Team | Spain |
| Soudal Quick-Step | Belgium |
| Team Arkea-Samsic | France |
| Team DSM | Germany |
| Team TotalEnergies | France |
| Trek - Segafredo | United States |
| UAE Team Emirates | United Arab Emirates |
| Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | Norway |